Submerged
by SpiritQuartz
Summary: One-shot view of different kinds of love.


I don't own them...

* * *

It was undeniably beautiful. The world around them was deep blue, the diffuse light gentle, filtered through the water as they roamed.

There was a lot to remember- how and when to breathe, how to handle the weight belt. The list of do's and don't that he'd drilled into her head before she even touched the gear.

A silver fish darted past her like an arrow, and she found herself watching her partner as much as she watched the sea life around them. He was so at home, he moved as easily and gracefully as the fish around them. He was a part of the sea. The ocean in the body of a man. She'd never seen him quite so relaxed, so at home as he was here in the depths.

He signaled for her attention, pointing out a crab that was fighting with a cuttlefish. She couldn't tell who was winning, but she was tempted to scoop them both up and bring them home to cook for dinner. The idea made her feel like laughing, but they hadn't covered 'laughing underwater' in their lessons. She kicked her fins, sliding up alongside her beloved pirate, and she mimed grabbing them and eating them.

His smile was dazzling, and she saw his chest shake in a chuckle. He caught her hand and pulled her farther along, to a bed of anemones swaying in the invisible currents. They were fascinating- so different than they looked on television, their undulations almost hypnotic. She could watch them for hours and not get bored.

She understood why he liked it down here.

Underwater, it was easy to imagine they were the only people in the world, that the madness that was Haven didn't exist, didn't affect them. That everything was peaceful and perfect.

She touched his shoulder, running her fingers along his back. It was funny, being able to feel the perfect shape of his body even though she couldn't feel his skin. It was nice, but not enough. She wondered what it would be like to dive in warm island waters, where the wetsuits weren't necessary. Maybe there was some kind of underwater 'mile high club'.

That would be a very, very interesting lesson.

When he turned his head to look at her, her eyes wrinkled in a smile and she wrapped her arms around him, winding her legs around his waist. She wished she could kiss him, but she pressed her mask to his, rubbing her hands against his back. His eyes narrowed, but the laugh lines in the corners showed that he was happy, probably reading her mind. She saw his eyebrows wiggle, and she shook with laughter, still trying to follow the 'breathing underwater' instructions.

He rolled, holding on to her, and they floated weightless in the abyss, fish swimming around them as though _they_ were the fascinating display.

Looking at Duke, she agreed with the fish.

She thought of the first time she'd seen him after coming back to Haven. Waking naked in his bed, the way he looked brewing coffee on the deck as he read a newspaper in a language that she could only identify as 'something Asian'. The awful, awful pickup line about guessing how she took her coffee.

He'd been amazing.

Everything in Haven was amazing. Proof of magic walking around as everyday business. How could she not stay? How could this odd little town that she never even dreamed about from childhood fairy tales fail to draw her? Since she set foot here, she'd known she belonged here, and that the town belonged to her. She wanted to take care of it and the people in it.

Some days, she believed Haven was the most beautiful thing in the universe. It was filled with equally beautiful inhabitants.

The blue of Nathan's eyes, his shy smile and terrible dancing.

The love that shone through when Vince and Dave bickered, though they couldn't stand to be apart.

The absolute dedication in Dwight. The mountain of a man who had the gentlest hands she'd ever touched.

Even the buildings were special. The church was breathtaking. The weathered frame of the _Gull_ that hid the warm golden light and soft music inside. The police station where most of their adventures started.

Their lighthouse.

Sometimes, during these flights of fancy, she imagined that it was the lost city of Atlantis, that it had just moved and hidden, because the rest of the waking world couldn't handle the amount of magic in it.

She floated on the invisible tides, clinging to the man against her. If there was anything in the world that felt more like home than Haven itself, it was him. His arms were home, his laugh was music, his voice held all the secrets of the universe. Despite the fights, despite the things she had asked or tricked him into doing to save people, he never turned on her.

He should have. Anyone else would have. But he was loyal to a fault, taking all manner of abuse and still staying to help when he could have pulled up anchor and just left. He could have gone anywhere in the world- he was smart and capable enough- but he had stayed. He'd been fascinated by her despite himself.

She was grateful for that. She hadn't always appreciated his dedication enough- honestly, she'd thought he was playing her in their early days. Using her. Accepting that he was honest, that he truly did love her- that had been one of the hardest things she'd ever done. It had required her to accept that she was _worth_ loving, and it was a simple fact that she didn't usually think she was worthy. An orphan, for all intents and purposes. Not even really human. She was a constant to Haven, but she couldn't even remember what she _was_ for so long. Even now, new memories popped up from time to time.

He had taught her as much as she'd taught him, certainly.

She kicked softly, sliding up his body to wrap her arms around his neck, careful of the hoses. She held his head to her chest, wondering if he could feel her pulse. His hands tightened on her waist, hands that knew her body better than she did. She pressed her hands to his shoulders, spotting the wicked gleam in his eye as he pushed her away, kicking his strong legs to dart off.

Oh, he wanted to play tag? She considered for a moment. He was the experienced diver, but she- she was smaller, quicker and _absolutely_ more devious.

She might be a novice diver, but she was a good swimmer. She flipped, kicking with both legs together like a mermaid, zipping forward. She kicked harder, zooming past him and flipping up over him as his arms reached out to catch her. She swam circles around him, body shaking with suppressed laughter as he tried to catch her.

She turned again, looking for new things to see. A stray sparkle caught her eye, and her focus was absolute- she didn't even blink as she headed for the spot she'd seen the brightness.

She shooed a few fish away when they tried nibbling on her wetsuit as she invaded their territory. It had been right here. Whatever it was, it was special. She could feel it. There was a feeling of recognition, familiarity.

She dug around with careful fingers, wiping away silt and sand as she saw wood. She moved faster, unearthing a small wooden chest with a rounded top.

Lexie would say this was kismet, a sign from the universe. Lexie said a lot of odd things. Odd enough that people didn't understand how much she really saw and understood.

He finally swam up alongside her, helping her free the wooden chest as she picked up the stray coin that had caught her eye. They worked together, adjusting their weight belts as they drug their haul upward.

They surfaced next to the boat, the little motorboat they'd taken to come out here. He attached a rope to the handles of the chest, scurrying up the side of the boat so he could help her up. The turned off the tanks and helped her remove her mask. She grabbed him and kissed him quickly. "I wanted to to that the whole time we were down there."

"Now you know how I feel all the rest of the time. Let's see what you found."

They hauled on the ropes, finally bringing the chest up. It was small, no more than 18 inches long, but it was heavy and obviously sturdy to have survived down there. An old memory tickled her brain, and she knew this had been something she knew, something she was connected to.

"I can't get the damn thing open. This isn't any lock I've ever seen."

"This is a modified puzzle box. Here, let me in." Their hands brushed as she took over, keeping her eyes half closed as she pushed and pulled and slid, letting her fingers lead her brain. There was a muted click and the box opened, golden coins and jewelry nestled inside, damp but unharmed.

She took out a locket, holding it carefully as she pried it open. The tiny painted portraits were mostly unharmed, surprisingly, and she smiled softly as she saw her own face on once side, a golden-haired boy on the other. "I can't believe this. You've been down there how many times and didn't find this."

"Why does that look like you?"

"Why does anything look like me? Because it is."

"Your first dive, and you found old treasure. You're a natural."

She laughed, putting the locket back in the box. "Do I get to be a pirate now?"

"Mm. I think we'll stick to 'wench' for the time being. Don't want you to get a big head."

She pressed her hand to his jaw, looking up into his eyes. "I wish we hadn't waited so long."

"It's a hard town. But we're together now."

Nodding, she went on tiptoe to kiss him, hand still against his face. I love you, Duke Crocker."

"I love you too, Mara."

"We should go. Nathan and Audrey are expecting us."

He kissed her, pulling her tight against him. "We have to take the wetsuits off."

Oh, she knew that tone. She looked him up and down, his wet hair and brilliant smile. They were miles from shore.

"Oh, to hell with it. We can be a little late."

"Now you're talking like a pirate."

They kissed again, and then there were no more words necessary.


End file.
